The opening of the ‘Grand Staircase’ exhibition, Het Loo Palace
The ‘Grand Staircase’ in the Het Loo Palace, near Apeldoorn, Holland is undertaking a major restoration and with that an opening was held on 10th April 2026. This is the former summer seat of the House of Orange with William III his wife, Queen Mary II of England, who also had a significant impact on British / Irish history. The exhibition will run till 30th August 2026. The exhibition is accompanied by a newly published book in Dutch, seen below. The Ottoman figures depicted wall murals reflect the mania for Ottomanism and Holland had a long association with that empire as the merchant and diplomatic connections go back to 1620s. In addition William III took an active part in promoting trade with the East. The murals were painted by Robert Duval straight onto the wall plaster in the 17th century, stayed put for a century until the Napoleonic invasion when they were covered up in a fresh layer of plaster and throughout the 19th century these blank walls were covered in paintings, armorials and flags. The murals are in a fragile condition and were adversely affected by flooding in the autumn of 2023. The restoration work is envisaged to last till the end of 2027.
Information boards in 3 languages including Turkish.
